Caring about the vulnerable in our communities this Christmas

T’is the season to be jolly, but for many that isn’t so easy - particularly at the end of 2020, the year that has brought the Covid-19 pandemic and challenging situations for us all but even more so for the most vulnerable in our communities.

And so The Nottingham decided to step up and lend a hand where we could, with a series of donations to brilliant charitable organisations across our heartland.

We began our festive contributions with a £5,000 donation to Notts County Foundation, to aid their magnificent education programme in providing vital education, training and qualifications to 16 to 18-year-olds from Nottinghamshire.

Then we gave £10,000 donation homelessness charity Framework, who we have supported for no less than ten years, by pound-for-pound matching public donations to their winter campaign up to that amount.

And the same amount was also presented to the BookTrust charity to fund 1,000 gift packs - including a hardback book, a special letter, festive poster and bookmark - that will be delivered to boys and girls aged 3 to 13 in the nine counties we have a branch presence.

Buoyed by the positive impact those donations will have on the lives of many in our communities we then set our branch network the challenge of doing the right thing by nominating organisations in their areas that help vulnerable people.

Successful applicants were allocated donation amounts and a series of socially distanced cheque presentations then took place (detailed below), with each charity receiving at least £100.

• A £100 donation was handed over to The Friary homelessness charity by West Bridgford colleagues
• £350 was given to Jigsaw Support Scheme by our Mansfield and Sutton branches
• Our Dereham and Dinnington teams donated funds that will support the Salvation Army’s festive toy appeal
• Wollaton colleagues gave to Womens Aid and Mapperley gave a donation to Nottingham Womens Centre
• The Belper team handed over £100 to the Hope for Belper charity, to go towards food hampers for families in need in the area
• Uttoxeter backed a charity they have fundraised before when they gave £170 to House of Bread
• Shepshed nominated their local food bank to receive £100 worth of advent calendars for local children
• Rothley, Grantham and Wigston also handed cheques over to food banks - Soar Valley Community Food Project, Grantham Passage and Leicester South Foodbank respectively
• Ashbourne and Arnold did similar after putting forward Ashbourne Food Bank and Arnold Food Bank
• Buxton and St Albans stepped up to support charities they have worked with before – High Peak Homeless Help and Herts Young Homeless
• Bulwell and Hucknall played a role in providing for local children in poverty this Christmas with toy donations and £250
• Long Eaton, Beeston and Scunthorpe teams made cheque presentations to their local food banks
• Sheffield and Crystal Peaks gave their support to South Yorkshire charity Cash For Kids

All money donated will be used by the charities to provide – whether that is food, warm clothing, Christmas gifts or access to vital services – for the most vulnerable children and families in our communities this Christmas.

Chief Executive David Marlow said: “As we near the end of a very challenging year for all we’ve a festive wish to do what we can to support those most in need in our communities and are delighted to be making these contributions.”

Photo caption: Mansfield & Sutton Donations.